roberts



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

E. E.1ROVBERTS.

kSTEAM GENERATOR. No.371,710. Patented Oct'. 18, 1818?'.-

- MS "N I Pi afg (No Model.) '2 sheets-Sheet 2. E.- E. ROBERTS.

STEAM GENERATOR. 110.371,'710. Patented 0pt. 18, 1887.

EDVARD E. ROBERTS, OF RED BANK, NEW JERSEY.

STEAMmGENRATO R.

SPECIFICATIN forming part of Letters Patent 1N'o.3'71,71ll dated October 3.8 1887. Application filed July 12, 1887. Serial No. 244,054. (No modell.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD E. ROBERTS, of Red Bank, in the county of Monmouth and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Steam-Generators, of which the following is a specification. Y

My invention relates more particularly to steam-generators of comparatively small size, such as are usually employed for launches and other small steam-vessels; but the invention may, if desired, be embodied in generators of larger size for other purposes.

Important objects of my invention are to provide a generator which will generate steam rapidly by reason of a very effective circulation, which will generate dry steam and avoid priming, `and which will also afford proper opportunity for the separation of steam from the water; also, to afford provision for blowing off the generator a little at a time, as sediment may collect in suitable receptacles or pockets provided therefor, and to avoid the necessity of blowing off the boiler entirely,and thus suspending the generation of steam at any time.

My improved generator is constructed largely of pipes ortubes, and a more clear idea of the invention may be obtained by iirst giving abrief description of the parts thereof. In what I now consider a desirable form of the invention it comprises asteam and waterdrum which is approximately horizontal, and pipes which descend from and Vcommunicate with opposite ends of this drum. At what are approximately the four corners of the generator there are four upright pipes or water-columns.

AThe two pipes which are at each end of the drum are connected at their upper ends by a cross-pipe which communicates with the end of the drum, and those pipes which are upon eachside of the generator are connected near their lower ends by a water-distributer. A number of upright coils or pipes connected by return -bcnds are arranged beneath the drum and spring at their lower ends from the horizontal water-distributers, and at their upper ends communicate with the drum, and these upright coils form in effect the crown of the tire-box. A rapid circulation takes place from the drum downward through the larger pipes to the horizontal water-distributers,and thence upward through the smaller upright coils to the drum. I also provide adjacent to the drum a system of feed-water-heating coils on one or each side of the drum, and through which the feed-water passes before it enters the drum, whereby it is preliminarily heated, and I provide on opposite sides of the firebox and adjacentto the downwardlyextending end portions of the upright coils two dry coils or superheating-coils, through which the steam passes and is superheated after it leaves the Water and steam drum. The four descending pipes, which provide for downward circulation, may each of them be prolonged slightly below the horizontal water-distributer and be each provided with a blow-off pipe, so that at any time a portion of the water and the sediment in the generator may be blown off without allowing the iire to go down or emptying the generator, and without any cessation of its operation in producing steam.

The generator may have a` ledge of angleiron constructed around it and the casing, or cover of sheet metal which incloses the several parts of the generator, may be fitted, by an asbestus packing or otherwise, upon this angle-iron ledge and may have a smoke-stack at the top.

The invention hereinabove briefly described consists in novel combinations of parts,hercin after particularly set forth,and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a front elevation of a generator including my invention, the front of the external casing being removed. Fig. 2 is a side elevation there of, including a sectional view of the casing. Fig. 3 is a transverse section-say upon about the plane indicated by the dotted line xx, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the generator--say upon about the plane indicated by the dotted line i/ y, Fig. l; and Fig. 5 is a detail View showing a portion ofthe drum and one of the upright coils as having its approximately-horizontal members which form the crown of the fire-box slightly inclined in a direction transverse to the length of the drum.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figuresn My generator is supported upon two horizontal bearers or timbers, A, if desired, and above them is placed` an ash-pan, B. At about what are the four corners ofthe generator pipes ICO C rise at each end thereof and are connected by a cross-pipe, O', the same arrangement of pipes C C being at each end of the generator, and the cross-pipes C are connected or communicate at c with the steam and water drum D, as best shown in Figs. 3 and 4. At each end of the generator a deadfplate, e, extends across from side to side thereof, and the grate-bars, of which there are two lengths, e', are lraised upon suitable bearers, e2.

It will be observed that in sm'all generators like that shown in the drawings the grate e' iills the entire length of the generator.

Between the larger pipes, C, which are at each side of the generator, extends a horizontal water-distributer, C2, as best represented in Fig. 3,and each water-distributer G2 communicates with the larger pipe, C, which descends at each side of the generator. The grate e extends across from one water-distributer CZ tothe other, as best shown in Fig. 3.

As a principal steam-making portion of the boiler, upright coils or pipes connected by return-bends, so as to form what are practically coils E, are arranged closely together side by side above the grate, and form in effect the crownof the fire-box. Each of these coilsE has a downwardly-extending leg or portion, e, which communicates with one or the other of the waterdistributers G2, and at its upper end the branch e4 communicates with the steam and Water drum slightly below the water-line thereof. Ihev coils E spring alternately from opposite water-distributers C2 and communicate alternately with the drum D on opposite sides of its vertical center-that is to say,one coil E springs from the waterldistributer Clz at the left hand of Fig. 3 and communicates with the drum D on the right-handy end of its center, while the coils E which are on opposite sides of the one named spring from the water-distributer (l2 at the right hand of Fig. 3 and communicate with the drum D on the left hand of its center. The coils E are exposed more directly to the intense heat of the lire than the descending pipes C, and, .both by reason of this more intense exposure to heat and by reason of the smaller size of the coils E, a rapid circulation downward takes place through the pipes C and into the water-distributers C2, while from such water-distributers a rapid circulation takes place upward through the coils E to the drum D.

I have here represented the operative parts of the generator as inclosed by a casing, F, which may be ofsheet-iron or other metal, and which has a covering, f, of asbestus or other known non-heat-conducting material, and this casing F may be slipped within the angleiron ledge F', which extends around the entire generator and, as here shown, is about on a level with the water-distributors C2. top the casing F has a smoke-stack, F2, which is inserted within a socket, f', and packed with asbestus or other suitable material, f2.

This smoke-pipe F2 may be readily removed At the when its height would be in the way of navigation.

At opposite sides of the drum D, I have represented a mass of coils or pipes connected by return-bends, each body of pipes being designated by thev letter G. The two masses or" coils or pipes are connected at the points g, one with one end of the drum D and the other with the other end thereof, and the opposite ends of both said coils are connected together 'bya pipe, g', with which the feed branch g2 communicates; hence the feed-water which is being pumped intathe pipe gl will circulate completely through the two coils G before it is delivered into the drum D, and conse- `quently the feed-water will be highly heated before it enters the drum.

In addition to the pipes above described, I have represented at each side of the generator, and just outside the downwardly-extendng legs e3 of the coils E, a dry coil, H, which is employed for superheating steam. The drum D has at its upper part -a longitudinal pipe, HQ which extends from end to end thereof and is perforated, preferably, in its top, and from opposite ends ofthe pipe H pipes h lead to the dry or super-heating coils H, and from the ends of said coils and through the branches h the steam escapes for use in the engine or elsewhere, both said branches 7L being coupled by a suitable pipe. (Not here shown.) By this arrangement of dry coils or superheatingcoils H heat which would otherwise be wasted in the generator is employed for raising the temperature of the steam generated or super heating it to a high degree before it makes its escape for use in the engine or elsewhere. The downwardly-extendiug pipes C are prolonged somewhat below the horizontal waterdistributers C2, so as to form-pockets or receptacles for sediment, and fromthe lower end of IOO each of these pipes C leads a blow-off pipe, o',

provided with suitable valves, c2,- hence it follows that these sediment-pocketsand the necessary small quantity of water may be blown off at any time without the necessity of blowing off all the water in the boiler or suspending its operation.

A water-`column, I, provided with a suitable water-gage glass, i, and gage-cocks t', may be connected by a pipe, t2, with the steam-space ofthe drum D, and by a pipe, t3, with one of the horizontal water-distributers C2, and af-- fords opportunity for ascertaining the exact level of water in the generator at any time. The water-column I may be surmounted by a steamgage, t4.

It will be seen 4from the above description that I provide a generator which is safe and which will be a very rapid producer of dry steam. The generator will not be likely to choke up in using different kinds of fuel, and ample provision is afforded for blowing off at intervals'without discharging any considerable quantity of water from the generator.

Although I do not confine myself to any ex- IZO act proportions for the various parts of my I necting the depending pipes which are on' 5o generator, a statement of the dimensions which may be employed to make an operative apparatus may be advantageous. In anl operative generator I make the upright coils E of oneinch pipe, with a Steamdrum, D, fifteen inches in diameter by about the length of the boiler. I make the four vertical pipes C about three inches in diameter and the horizontal waterdistribnters C2 of the same size. I make the feed-water coils G of one-halfinch pipe, and I make the dry coils or superheating-coils H of oneand-onefourthinch pipe.

To facilitate the upward circulation of water and steam through the coils E, their lateral parts, which pass to and fro across the generator may be slightly inclined, as represented in Fig. 5, although they may in some cases be approximately horizontal, as represented in Figs. l and 3.

The arrangement of the dry or superheatng coils H at the sides of t-he fire-box and transversely to the planes of the upright coils E is veryimportant, as they do not then shield the coils E fron the direct and most intense heat of the iire, and they themselves are not so liable to be burned ont speedily. I therefore 4 do not seek to include in my invention dry or superheating coils arranged below the coils or tubes which extend across immediately above the tire and in the same plane with said coils or tubes. Y

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent'` is 1. The combination, with a steam and water drum and pipes depending at opposite ends thereof and on opposite sides of the nre-box, the pipes at eachend having a cross-connection by which they communicate with the drum, of the distributers C, each connecting the depending pipes which are on the one side of the fire-box and the coils E, springing from the opposite distributers alternately,

forming .the crown of the fire-box and communicating at their upper ends with the drum, substantially as herein described.

2. The combination, with asteam and water drum and pipes depending from the ends thereof, of hot-water'distributers, each conone side of the generator, upright coils connected at their lower ends with the distribut-v ers and at their upper ends with the drum and forming the crown of the tire-box, and dry or superheating coils arranged transversely to the planes of the upright coils and on opposite sides of the fire-box, leaving the coils which form the crown of the fire-box fully exposed to the tire, substantially as herein described.

3. The combination, with a base or foundation, of the stand-pipes C, supported thereon, and the steam and water drum, the pipes at each end of the drum being connected by a cross-pipe which connects with and supports the drum, the horizontal distributers connecting the stand-pipes, which are on opposite sides of the generator, the grate arranged between said distributers, and the upright coils E, leading from the distributers to the drum and forming the crown of the fire-box, sub stantially as herein described.

4. The combination, with the steam and water drum D, the downward pipes C, and distributers, of the-upright coils E, connecting the distributers and drum and forming the lcrown of the fire-box, the feed-water-heating coils G, and the superheating-coils H, the ledge of angle-iron F surrounding the lower portion of the generator, and the case or cover inclosing the generator and fitting on said ledge, substantially as herein described.

5. The combination, with a steam and water drum, the water-columns or standpipes C, which communicate at their upper ends with the drum, and water-distributers G2, connecting the stand-pipes near but above their lower ends, thereby forming sediment-pockets in the lower ends of the stand-pipes, of the returncoils E to the drum, and blow-oft' connections leading from the sediment-pockets in the stand-pipe below their connection with the water-distributers C2, substantially as herein described.

EDWARD E. ROBERTS.

Vi tnesses:

C. HALL, FREDK. HAYNEs. 

